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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 2056.PDF
Resurrected Luscombe heads for approval KATE SARSFIELD/LONDON RENAISSANCE Aircraft's Luscombe 8F light aircraft is on target for certification and first deliveries by the fourth quarter of the year, nearly four decades after production of the piston single was halted. "The first production air craft is flying and we are taking orders," says Renaissance. Monkton, Maryland, US-based Renaissance has been allowed access to the original Luscombe 8F design through the Don Lus combe Aviation History Foun dation (DLAHF) in Phoenix, Arizona. It has set up a joint ven ture with Canadian manufacturer Zenair and Czech Aircraft Works of trie Czech Republic. Zenair will assemble the first 10 aircraft at its new production site in Eastman, Georgia, and will provide training for the Czech engineers. "As the Czech workers become more knowledgeable, we will grad ually phase out production and transfer all the necessary tooling and jigs to Czech Aircraft Works, where the company wdll perform labour-intensive subassembly manufacture. The aircraft parts will then be shipped back to Eastman for final assembly," says Renaissance. The company plans to deliver five to 10,aircraft by the end of the year, rising to around 70 next year, and up to 500 aircraft within five years. "We tryto avoid makingfirm predictions. We will paste produc tion to suit demand," it says. The all-metal Luscombe will be marketed jointly by Renaissance and Zenair's US affiliate, Aircraft Manufacturing and Development, which is also responsible for the manufacture and sale of the CH2000 trainer in the USA. The partnership is targeting the private flyer and training markets - mainly within North America - as well as emerging countries, includ ing Africa, the Middle East and the former Eastern Bloc countries. "The Luscombe's rugged con struction is well suited to rough use, and it is an ideal aircraft for these markets," says DLAHF pres ident Doug Combs. The Luscombe will be powered by either a 110-150kW (150- 200hp) Textron Lycoming O-320/360 or a Czech-built HP Walter M-32. The price will be about $70,000 for a basic aircraft and $90,000 for an instrument flight rules model. Renaissance has received 16 orders to date. The Luscombe 8 was conceived by Luscombe in 1931 and, when production was grounded 30 years later, about 7,500 aircraft had been built. Of these, around 3,000 are still flying. • UK police Islander will test anti-noise propellers IN RESPONSE to growing en vironmental concerns over noise from general aviation aircraft in Europe, the UK's Britten-Norman plans a six-month trial of new gen eration propellers on a BN2B light utility piston-engined Islander. The test is part of a UK Gov ernment-backed programme. Designed by US propeller manufacturer Hartzell as part of its NASA-sponsored AGATE/GAP concept, the all-metal three-blad- ed experimental propellers are designed to reduce noise impact significantly "through the lower tip speed and scimitar" shape. Flight testing is to begin by the end of the third quarter on the North East of England's Police Air Support Unit's Islander. "Police operators are interested in achieving minimum acoustic footprints for their aircraft, espe cially for night flying over urban areas, and have been investigating noise reduction technologies," says Britten Norman's head of flight engineering, Mark Wilson. The company expects the trial "will demonstrate significant per formance and efficiency benefits for the propeller, as the enhanced aerofoil efficiency will result in the same power transfer at a reduced engine RPM". If successful, die test is likely to affect sales and retrofits of the Islander, made and assembled at Britten-Norman factories in Bu charest, Romania, and Bembridge, IsleofWight,intheUK. • j^;;.P^ P2 ^.__Jj Jamaican force ready for two more AS355Ns THE JAMAICA DEFENCE Force (JDF) is due to take delivery of two Eurocopter AS355Ns in August, to add to the two it acquired earlier in the year. The aircraft, which were completed by Eurocopter UK distributor Mc- Alpine Helicopters, will be de ployed on law enforcement and anti-drug trafficking missions. In preparation for its law enforce ment role, the JDF has worked closely with the UK's Surrey and Metropolitan Police South East Region police air support unit, which operates three AS355Ns. NEWS IN BRIEF • POP-OUT FLOATS The US Federal Aviation Ad ministration has approved Robinson R44 emergency pop-out floats, allowing the pilot to resume flying, with out noticeable loss of air speed, once a cause of an emergency is corrected. Robinson says the $22,000 floats are lightweight, du rable and inflate in about 2s. The company has delivered the first of 10 R22 Beta II to Spitzer Helicopter Leasing. • SERVICE CENTRE SALE Oxford Aviation Services (OAS) of the UKhas acquired Bournemouth Airport-based Cessna Citation service cen tre IDS Aircraft for an undis closed sum. OAS, which owns engineering and train ing company CSE Aviation, has renamed the company CSE Citation Centre. • INDIAN ORDER Hindustan Aeronautics has ordered two Schweizer 330 light helicopters for its new helicopter training school. The Indian manufacturer and distributor plans to assemble Schweizer mach ines at Bangalore. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14 - 20 July 1999 23
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